Communication networks, such as but not limited to wired and wireless digital broadcast networks, enable end users with electronic devices to receive digital content including video, audio, data, and so forth from various service and content providers. To communicate service and content, the network may use various standards, such as those developed by the Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) Project, which implement a layered protocol stack such as the one described by the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model. Within the network protocol, transport streams may be defined to encapsulate individual components of programs or other services. Such components can include, e.g., audio, video, or text components of a program or service. The network may also carry a service guide (SG), which describes for users the services and content available for subscription or purchase.
To enable electronic devices to receive, discover, and demultiplex the individual components of programs and services, including the service guide itself (also referred to as an electronic service guide (ESG)), from the transport streams, the network protocol may further include signaling information carried over the network, such as Program Specific Information (PSI) or Service Information (SI), which maps the components to locations within the transport streams.
PSI or SI signaling, however, may be insufficient in some wireless communications systems, such as Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) systems. Use of PSI or SI signaling in such systems can require a large amount of bandwidth. This can be costly, may decrease efficiency of the system, and may result in a sub-optimal end user experience.